1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus employing electrophotography, such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multi-functional apparatuses using several functions, and more particularly, to setting operating parameters by a user of such an image forming apparatus, and maintenance work such as consumable-supply replacement.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, image forming apparatuses (e.g., a copier using electrophotography) typically require periodic maintenance, and may require repair in the event of a malfunction. Nevertheless, with such maintenance, image forming apparatuses can be effectively maintained in good operating condition over time.
The specific conditions under which such apparatuses may require maintenance include movement/arrangement fluctuation of mechanical devices or degradation of materials and components of the apparatus over time, as well as consumable supply consumption/degradation such as of a developer, for example. The maintenance involved to solve such condition change may be adjustment of operating parameters of apparatus, repair/replacement of parts, and refilling/replacement of consumable supply. Such maintenance is typically conducted by a service engineer, who is a technician skilled in maintenance work.
In offices or the like, image forming apparatuses may be used for image forming operations under a default operating parameters setting or normal operating parameters setting, or image forming apparatuses may be used for image forming operation by changing and setting operating parameters of image forming operation by a user using an operation panel (e.g., touch panel).
In general, image forming operation of image forming apparatuses can be changed and set to given conditions by a user because the user may need such operating parameters change. For example, a user can select image forming operation such as monochrome or multi-color image forming operation, image concentration, the number of sheets to be output, etc. Such operating parameters change can be conducted within a user-settable conditioning range, which may be embedded for image forming apparatuses. Further, the user may conduct refilling of consumable supply such as toner refilling.
As such, the user can adjust operating parameters of image forming apparatuses or refill consumable supply conditions of image forming apparatuses to obtain desired output.
However, when image forming apparatuses need special maintenance, such special maintenance is conducted by a service engineer trained in maintenance instead of a user untrained (hereinafter, may be referred “untrained user”). For example, when operating parameters of an apparatus move outside a normal range, the service engineer adjusts operating parameters to the normal range, or when special maintenance requiring special care to avoid damage to the apparatus is required, the service engineer conducts such special maintenance work.
Recently, however, there is increasing demand for enhanced usability of image forming apparatuses. Such demand includes, for example, enhanced freedom of setting operating parameters by the user in order to save time and effort. In other words, although most types of special maintenance may still need to be carried out by a trained service engineer, there is a demand that some kinds of special maintenance be able to be carried out by an untrained user.
An example of such demand of enhanced usability for setting operating parameters may be as follows: Image forming apparatuses such as a copier using electrophotography may include a finisher, which processes a recording sheet having an image developed thereon. For example, the finisher may include a stapler and a punch, whose positions may need to be adjusted as may the position of recording sheet at an image transfer process point. Typically, such mechanical adjustment may be set for image forming apparatuses before the apparatuses are shipped using a standard recording sheet (e.g., stapling and hole punching positions are set using the standard recording sheet).
As described above, when a user uses an image forming apparatus, the user may set given operating parameters to obtain desired output for image forming operation. In such operating parameters setting, the user can set certain parameters. For example, the user can select recording sheet size and type, whether stapling and hole punching is conducted, and if the latter, the hole punching position.
However, the user cannot make fine mechanical adjustments to correct the position of stapling and hole punching (which may also be referred to as fine positioning). Accordingly, if a user uses a recording sheet other than the standard sheet used for parameter setting at the factory, the standard setting for image forming apparatus may not be adequate for such recording sheet made of different material. In such situation, re-adjustment of mechanical parameter setting (e.g., change of setting of image forming condition or post-processing unit or system) is required. However, such re-adjustment may need to be conducted by a service engineer.
In light of such demand for greater usability, some image forming apparatuses that allow some mechanical parameter adjustment by user operation have been proposed.
For example, JP-2006-023475-A discusses an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit, a post-processing unit, and an adjustment device, in which the adjustment device can be used to adjust the mechanical parameters of the image forming unit and the post-processing unit. Such image forming apparatus uses multiple modes, such as a job mode such as a normal mode for image forming operation or a print-confirmation mode, and an adjustment mode for adjusting mechanical parameters using the adjustment device. Some adjustments in the adjustment mode can be conducted by information input by a user using an operation panel or the like.
JP-2007-051006-A discusses an image forming apparatus having a post-processing unit used for post-processing of an image-formed recording sheet, in which mechanical adjustment for the post-processing unit may be changed for each job.
JP-2002-244503-A discusses an image forming apparatus having an ability to display information on the image forming operation the contents of which changes depending on the person making the adjustment, to enhance efficiency for adjustment in an adjustment mode. Specifically, display information and display sequence of the adjustment mode is changed based on whether the person making the adjustment is a manufacturer, a customer engineer, a design engineer, and so forth. Such an arrangement can prevent selection of mistaken information, enabling the adjustment process to be conducted efficiently.
Separately, there is also demand for enhanced ease of that maintenance which is usually conducted by a trained service engineer. For example, image forming apparatuses using electrophotography typically use two-component developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles. Over time, a coating agent disposed on surfaces of carrier particles of the toner to enhance frictional electrification may fall off, or toner particles may adhere to surfaces of the carrier particles. If such phenomenon occurs, charging performance of carrier particles may deteriorate, thus shortening the service life of the developer.
Conventionally, image forming apparatuses may use developer having a given service life. When the end of that service life is reached, a development unit in which the developer is contained is removed from the image forming apparatus, degraded developer is removed from the development unit, and the development unit is refilled with new developer. In such developer replacement operation, an upper cover of the development unit must be opened for the developer replacement to remove the developer from the development unit. Accordingly, such developer replacement operation may need to be conducted by a trained service engineer.
In addition, recently, image forming apparatuses have been used for various purposes with high-speed printing, which increases the replacement frequency of the developer. In light of such situation, simplification of replacement work and time-saving of replacement work have been demanded.
In view of such demand, JP-H10-83110-A discusses an image forming apparatus including a storage vessel and a recovery vessel, wherein both vessels are detachably mounted in the image forming apparatus. The storage vessel stores fresh developer (i.e., non-used developer) to be used as replacement developer, and the recovery vessel recovers used developer. In such image forming apparatus, used developer is recovered and fresh developer is supplied to replace developer based on a measured developer replacement timing. Further, such developer replacement can be conducted reliably even if an abnormal event such as abrupt power-shutdown occurs during replacement of developer.
Further, JP-H4-277775-A discusses an image forming apparatus including a development unit, in which developer can be replaced while attaching the development unit in the image forming apparatus.
However, the image forming apparatus of JP-2006-023475-A is designed so that although an untrained user can make some mechanical adjustments, most mechanical adjustments must still be conducted by a trained service engineer. Accordingly, if the untrained user conducts adjustments of image forming parameters or of the image forming apparatus itself that are normally conducted by a trained service engineer, image forming parameters may not be maintained within an adequate range, which may result in degraded and may further prevent the image forming apparatus from operating as designed.
The image forming apparatus of JP-2007-051006-A has a design similar to that of the apparatus of JP-2006-023475-A, in that an untrained user can make some mechanical adjustments but most mechanical adjustments must still be conducted by a trained service engineer. Accordingly, a problem similar to that of JP-2006-023475-A may also occur, in that if the untrained user conducts adjustment of image forming apparatus, the quality of image formation may be degraded.
The image forming apparatus of JP-2002-244503-A has a design similar to those of JP-2006-023475-A and JP-2007-051006-A, and thus has the same problems.
Further, the image forming apparatuses of JP-H10-83110-A and JP-H4-277775-A need spaces to set the storage vessel storing replacement developer and the recovery vessel for recovering developer in the image forming apparatus, which increases a size of the image forming apparatus.
As described above, as for conventional image forming apparatuses, maintenance work such as developer replacement may be conducted by a service engineer but not a user.